Undefeated Massapequa boys volleyball wins 'A' title
The road to perfection is often littered with speed bumps, small hints of adversity that make the ultimate prize that much sweeter.
Top-seeded Massapequa's volleyball team culminated their undefeated campaign and Nassau Class A championship with a grind-it-out, 3-2 victory (25-23, 25-22, 16-25, 19-25, 25-23) over third-seeded Port Washington at Adelphi last night.
Perfection would not come easy. Rather, it came in grueling fashion, after more than two hours of play and numerous shifts in momentum. But after losing only its second and third games of the season after jumping out to a 2-0 lead, Massapequa held on for a five-set victory.
"They gave us a run for our money," said outside hitter Brian Smith, who had 12 kills and 26 assists.
Vinny DelGiudice added 61 digs as Massapequa improved to 21-0 this season.
Port Washington (26-4) jumped out to a 9-3 lead in Game 1, seemingly catching the Chiefs off guard. Massapequa regrouped to tie it at 11 and hold on for a 25-23 advantage.
The same thing happened in Game 2 as Port Washington built a 9-5 lead before Smith's reliable serve and clutch digs helped Massapequa rally to take it, 25-22.
But Massapequa dropped Games 3 and 4 by a total of 15 points, and their perfect season was in jeopardy.
"I told the guys after the fourth game that they had to relax," Chiefs coach Steve Mariano said. "We had never gone five games before, so it was a new area for them. To get to where they are today, they should be proud of themselves."
With the momentum squarely in Port Washington's favor, Massapequa again fell behind early. Down 19-18 in the final set, Smith and Jesse Finkel hit successive kills to give their team a 20-19 lead. With bodies from both sides scattering all over the hardwood, Massapequa had just enough to preserve its undefeated campaign.
After coming oh-so-close to letting it slip away, there only was one thing left to be said for the victors. Said Smith: "This means the world to us."
Bellmore JFK repeats in 'B'. No. 2 Bellmore JFK beat No. 4 West Hempstead in the Class B finals, 25-21, 25-18, 25-27, 25-14. Bellmore JFK let a 24-18 lead slip away in the third game, but they regrouped to take control and advance past West Hempstead in the fourth game. Brendan Mills led Bellmore JFK with 16 kills, and Jesse Forman and Ryan Pastuch chipped in with 22 assists apiece.
